Prevention is the best medicine

  • Keep your house temperature at 68 degrees
  • Open cabinet doors below sinks to allow heat to circulate.
  • Wrap susceptible pipes (along exterior walls and in crawl spaces) with pipe insulation or heating tape.
  • Heat your basement and consider weather sealing your windows.
  • Insulate exterior walls, as well as your crawlspace, attic and garage.
  • Allow a faucet to drip slightly (lukewarm water) in order to minimize freezing.

Pay Attention

  • Know what to look for – watch for reduced water flow.
  • Check your water pressure at night, and in the morning.
  • Identify and reduce drafts that are near exposed pipes.

Take Action

  • Thaw a frozen pipe with a hair dryer, or wrap them with towels that have been soaked in hot water – never an open flame!
  • Start thawing nearest to the faucet – leave the water running so the water has somewhere to go!

When Disaster Strikes

  • Shut off water at the main valve. (Make sure you know the location of your main shut off valve, and the hot water tank valve)
  • If a hot water pipe breaks, close the valve on top of the water heater.
  • Call a plumber.